One type of pneumatic fender is a pneumatic fender comprising a flexible hollow body provided between two mounting plates. The flexible hollow body is formed from rubber in which a reinforcing layer is embedded, and is connected to the mounting plates in an airtight manner. A rear surface side of one mounting plate is mounted to a quay or the like, and a front side of the other of the mounting plates contacts a ship via a shock-receiving plate. The flexible hollow body is compressed when the ship contacts the shock-receiving plate, causing the energy from the ship to be absorbed. When an excessive amount of energy is imparted by the ship, such as when the ship forcefully collides with the shock-receiving plate, the flexible hollow body may be excessively compressed, causing damage thereto.
A pneumatic fender in which a honeycomb-structured energy-absorbing body is provided within a flexible hollow body has been proposed (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H11-152728A). In accordance with this pneumatic fender, the mounting plate on the front side contacts the energy-absorbing body and absorbs the energy from the ship before the flexible hollow body is excessively compressed, thereby allowing for a reduction in disadvantages such as damage to the flexible hollow body due to excess compression. However, because the energy-absorbing body is deformed and damaged by absorbing energy, it will cease functioning as an energy-absorbing body if the degree of damage is too great, requiring the pneumatic fender to be replaced.
In addition, when the compressed flexible hollow body is restored to its original state, the ship, which had been in contact with the pneumatic fender, sways; thus, it is necessary to reduce the swaying of the ship as much as possible. Thus, there is a demand for a pneumatic fender that suppresses damage to a flexible hollow body and an energy-absorbing body and allows for further reduction in ship sway.